I. ˈkämpəd.ən(t)s, -pətən- also -pət ə n- noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle French compétence, from Latin competentia agreement, from competent-, competens (present participle of competere ) + -ia -y
1. obsolete : a sufficient supply : sufficiency
2.
a. : property or means sufficient for the necessities and conveniences of life : sufficiency without excess
his business acumen … provided his family with a comfortable competence — Rex Ingamells
those who … kept their shares … reaped competences and small fortunes — Jack Alexander
b. : the condition of possessing or enjoying such sufficiency
living in peace and competence
3.
a. : the quality or state of being functionally adequate or of having sufficient knowledge, judgment, skill, or strength (as for a particular duty or in a particular respect)
drugs that improve the competence of a failing heart
: range of ability or capability
some competence in the operation of a drill press
a technicality beyond his competence to master
specifically : legal authority, ability, or admissibility
a matter within the competence of a judge to adjudicate
the committee has no actual competence in criminal matters
b. : legitimacy or validity of a conclusion, logical process, point of view : adequacy
the schooled competence of his observations
4. : the ability of a stream to transport detritus as measured by the size of the largest particle, pebble, or boulder it can move forward — compare capacity 1i
5. : the capacity of living tissue to react ; specifically : the sum of the properties that permit a particular embryonic field to respond in a characteristic manner to the influence of an inductor — compare field , inductor , potency
II. noun
1. : readiness of bacteria to undergo genetic transformation
2. : the knowledge which enables a person to speak and understand a language — compare performance herein